Type action and case-selecting mechanism for typewriting machines



Dec. 14 1926.

' W. WILSON TYPE ACTION AND CASE SELECTING MECHANISM FOR TYPEWRITING mcnmss Filed Dec. 1. 1922;

Patented Dec. 14, 1926.

- UNITED "STATESUPATEN'T'" QFFICE,

WESLEY WILSON, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AssIG voR 'ro linivrms'ron TYPEWRITER COMPANY, or ILIoN, NEW YORK," A CORPORATION on NEW YORK.

TYPE ACTION AND CASE-SELECTING MECHANISM non rYrnwnrrme MACHINES.

Application flied-December 1, 1924. Seria1No. 753,2 !8.,

and briefly stated, are to lighten the load on the case controlling key to rednce'the number of type bars commonly employed in such machines; to avoid the necessity for vide a'type bar operating mechanism, one unit of which, and the type bar operated. thereby, will serve for a selective operat on an arrangement whereby' one restoring spring will also serve for aplurality of keys. To theabove and other ends which will hereinafter appear, my invention consists in the features of construction, arrangements of parts-and combinations of devices set' forth in the following description and par'-' ticularly pointed out in the accompanying claims. 2s

plished by the construction shown inthe drawing, wherein f i I i .1 Figure 1 is a detail diagrammatic side elevation of a type. action and case controlling mechanism constructed inaccordance with my invention; the view showing the parts disposed for printing lower case characters. Figure 2 is a like view of the same, showing the parts'disposed to print upper case characters.

The construction illustrated shows only one pair of printing keys, one type bar common to the two printing keys and the operthe type bar, together with acase controllingkey and means'associated therewith for c ontrolling the type bar operating mecha -nism. Such unit is duplicated the required number of times to form a complete machine, it being understood that the parts of each type'action, excepting the key lever, are disposed substantially in a radial plane, radiating from the printing point.

A characteristic of the construction. as it is shown in the present instance, is that each type'bar-is carried by a pinion or its equivalent which, in orden to selectively produce the strikinglaction of the upwardly and shifting either the platen ortype barba'sket' upon case changing operations ;.and to pro-the striking action for selective upper case by a plurality of keys; and alsoto provide,

The objects set forth above are ,aricomspectively connected to the key levers 1 andating mechanism between the said keys-and.

rearwardlyswinging front strike bar against 55 the platen P, is caused to turn on a differentially shifting center so that any one of a pluralityof types carried by the bar may the case controlling key controls the shifting of the pivotal center of the type bar during printing by the same printing keys.

"As shown int-he drawing, the printing keys 1 and 2 are carried by parallel key levers l and 2* respectively, pivoted upon the same'transverse rod 3. The type bar 4 operatedby these keys is carried by a pinion 5 which forms the heel of the type bar. In the printing motion of the type bar, the' pinion ,5-is rolled to the right'(a s the parts appearin'the drawings) by and on a pair of opposed actuating members, racks or segment gears 6 and 7." During thistime the \center of the pinion, and the type, bar as a whole, move downward orupward more or less, tobrin'g difl'erent types on; the type bar into printing position. The extent. of the downward or upward motion of the pinion and type bar during the type bar printing movement is dependent upon which of the keys, 1 or 2, is depressed,'and on the posi-. tion of the case controlling key 8.

The segment gears 6' and 7 i for operating a the pinion 5 are carried by levers 9 and 10 respectively, pivoted together at 11 and re- 90 2 by the link 12, and'by the links 13fa'nd I 14 and the intermediate] lever 15. Each lever 15 is pivoted upon a fixed transverse rod 16 curved to conform to thecunvilinear arrangement of the radially disposed set of levers 15. Thus, when the key 1 -is depressed the link 12 is drawn downward and thereby causes the segment gear '6 to swing upward either around an associated pin 21 or the piyot 11; whereas when key 2 is depressed, the associated link 14 is drawn downward, but-through the lever 15, are link 13 swings the companion segment-gear" 7 downward either around the pivot 11 of an associated pivot pin 30. The return motion of the mechanism, irrespective of which key is depressed, is effected by a contractile spring 17 extending between the levers'9 and 10. "The limit of the return motion is determined by a stop, abutment or fulcrum.

member 18 located betwee'nthe forward ends of the levers 9 and 'lO'ahd common to an,

of. such levers.'

. \Viththe case control key Sliniiits normal undepressed position, a transversejcurved' rod 19, preferably common to' all oiithe levers 9, bears againstthe upper edgeFQOof each of said levers 9. The 'efiect; of" this-- is to com-pel'each lever 9,--when the associated'key 1 is 'de ressedf, tofrock around the,

' companiont ixe "pivot pin 1 r 5;1 2:1;, the latter bearing against the v lower surface of,

the'dever 9 at t e-recess 22 therein.- 1 This results in,s ay,- type b on thefbaIj ma-ki-ng the impress1on.j

- as stop 18 pins or rods 21, 30., 19 and. 23-

may ,beJcommonto all of the type barpoper- 1 whereas 1r will make theimpresslon. a i Each of the type bars 1s retained against 31 arranged on op v between which the oating type baris'guid- If key 2 isfipr'essed with the transverse" rod19 still bearing against the upper surface 20 of eachlever 9, ihefl type, say, a'will make the impression.

One of the" arms24e hasz-an extension 26; which is connected'by a'link 27 with'the case controlkey 8. A spring: 28 normall holds the arms 24"and, case control key in'the osition shown iIiEig. 1 Withlithe epressed, the rod '19 is'rocked outofg 'ollowing operations'ltake place:

key 8 engagement with thele'vers 9, while the rod -23 is moved into engagement with the lower edge 29 of each level" 10. -.-Urider these conditions, if key; 1 is depressed,- the li will'ma k-e the impression,

key

lateral displacement by apair of fixed lates osite sides thereo' and ed its printing'movement.

.Some of the.parts of the mechanisrmsueh ating units in the machine. I

For convenience 1m following the drawing, the

thereof with the types which-it carries,

and the keys'l' and, 2 bear the" corresponding characters.

The operation of the mechanism will now be describedmore'in.detail and in the following order:

First, for. makinganimpression f a' smallfb, then a :small a, then alai ge Inmaking an impression of a the mechan sm isoperated under the normal 'conditioni shown in Fig; 1 otthe-drawing,

'moving upward, and segment gear 7 with shift'key 8 in its upper. position. The

type bar-is marked at one side.

11 connecting the arms 9 and 10.- Under the same conditions, when key-i2 is depressed the segmentzgear 6 remains stationary, while arm/l0 swings around ivot 11. The front end of arm 10 'is. roeke upward due to the connections18,1{l and 15, with key 2. The s:egment g'ear7 at this time is carried down- ,ward far-[enough to cause the small a of the type 'barto make the impression at the printingpoint. t

rod 19 disengagesithe upper'edge of each .-'With the case control key 8 depressed,

lever. -9 and the f'rod 23' engages the lower tions I i-key 2 is depressedthe large A i typ'e gwill make the impression In the fiifst while the ,-p'inion 5 rolls upward thereon betweeenf t lie 1 1pwardly moving. segment gear 6 and-the downwardly moving. segment gear- -7.

case, the segment gear'..' 7 remains stationary and in the second' case the piniomdrolls n will be observed'that' in printingthe' four character's a-, :b, A- and-B th 1st for printing fa:

Raektiremains quiescent while rack 7. is moved down around Has a center.

2nd fonzprinting b: i Raclrffiiimoves'up around 21 as a center 18 as a fulcrum. i i

-- 3rd for printing A:

of"18 and rack -7 moves down fulcruming 501130; l I

. 4th for printing B:

-rack 7 remains quiescent.

scribed by the different printing'keys, and with-the 'case controlling key in theFig. 1 and Fig. 2 positions',-results-in a' variation 111 the leverage of the controlling members 9 which they'turn; a variation in the throw while rack 7 moves down on upper part of w The operation of the type bar as above de- Rack 6 moves up fulcruming' on lower part 'Back 6 moves up fulcruming on 11 while and'1 0 a variation ofthe pivotal c'enterson I I of the'actuating members 6 and 7 controlled 'bysaid members 9 and 10, and also a selective determination of whether both of said members 6 and 7 shall move one up and th'e'other down, or'whether'one;shallremain quiescent while the other moves, and

if so which ofi said members shall remain quiescent. and which shall move. \Vhile 'preferably'the total extent of relative movement betweenthe two actuating members 6 .and 7 is .always the same, this movement is selectively apportioned by 'tbekey controlled means'between the two actuating devices, and such selective apportioning selectively determines which type on'the type bar shall be brought to the printing position. Thus, if it be assumed that the total extent of relative movement between the two actuating members 6 and 7 ,is 6/10 of an inch, this amount remains practically constant in writing from all types on the bar, but is differently apportioned between the two actuating members as follows in printing from the different types: i

In writing small a the member 7 moves down, say, about 6/10 of an inch while the member 6 remains at rest.

In printing small b the member 7 moves down about 9/20 of'aninch and the member 6 moves'u about 3/20.

In printing large A the member 7 moves down and the member 6 up, say about equaldistances, the total distance of the two move ments being about 6/10 of an inch.

In printing large B the member 6 moves up, say 6/10 of an inch while the member 7 remains quiescent.

This variation in the operation of the members 6 and 7 determines the inotion'of the type bar to brin any oneof the" fou types thereon to the printing point.

From the foregoing description it willbe seen that each type bar is in the nature of a floating bar that turns on a varying pivotal center in swinging to printing positionv under control of its actuating means; that the same key controlled actuating means (6 and 10) coact with the associated type bar position but controls the differential centers around which the type bar turns, so as to' underall circumstances to control its movement. whether printing from one or another of the four types thereon, although the actu atin'gneans may operate differentially on the bar to control the'differential' center on which it turns depending on the printing key which is actuated and on the position of the'case controlling key and themeans controlled thereby; that each type action includes in its actuating and center controlling means a pinion and two racks which engage cooperation of these racks with the pinion not only turns the type bar toprinting print selectively from any one .of four types thereon, and that in selecting different types on a type bar for printing, the.levers 9 and 10 have varying leverages depending on the selection made, the lever 9 at different times fulcruming on the parts 21, 18 or 11, and the lever 10 fulcruniing at different times on the parts 11. 18 or 5:50, depending in both instances on the, selection made with the aid of the printing keys 1 and 2 and the case control key 8.

By the present invention a simple, compact, light easily operating typewriting machine may be constructed in which a change n writing from lower to upper case or vice versa may be readily effected without giving a relative shift between the platen and type bars by an actuation of the case controlling key, and each type bar may nevertheless be individually selected to write from any one of four types with the aid of two printing 'the'spirit of this invention as defined by the following claims. a y 'What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is l y 1. In a typewriting or like machine,-tl'i e' combination with a platen and a type bar carrying a plurality of types, of means for operating'said type bar to effect an impression of any desired .type carried thereby,

said means comprising a plurality of print ing keys and connections between said keys and type bar by which said-typebar may be caused to selectively effect an impression by rocking around a differentiallymovablesupport, and a case controlling key ineffective to print and to shift the type bar and plateii relatively one to the other but effective for differentially controlling said connections to cause other types on each type bar than those normally employedxto be brought'selectively to the printing point by the same printing keys.

2. In a machine of the class described, a type bar, a pinion rigid with said type bar, a pair of segment gears engaging opposite sides of said pinion, depressible keys and connections between said keys and said seginent gears for transmitting motion to said segment gears, a case controllingkey, and

means under the control of said case con trolling key'for selectively compelling one" or the other of said'segment gears '00- rock around fixed centers. the pinion on opposite sides thereof; that the in order to modify" the motion of saidseg-.

mentgears under tlie action of said keys.

4. In atypewriting machine, the combination of two key-controlled type bar-actuating devices having a constant fined extent of relative movement-between them, selective means for variably apportioningbetween said two actuating-deviccs such fixed extent of relative movement, a type bar having a pivotal swinging motion to printing posi tion and carrying a plurality of types, means for operating the type bar variably from said actuating devices to selectively print from one or another type thereon 'inaccordance with the variable apportioning between sald actuating devices of said relat ve move .Inent. a

5. In a typewriting machine, the combin'ation of a type'barhaving a plurality "of types,- two type bar-actuatingdevices movable in opposite directions, the type bar being swung to printing position by the rela connections'between said printing-keys and. the typebar 'for-mlovinghthe type'bar as I stated to selectively printffrom one type or another on saidtype bar in accordanq'e .With

which one of said'kysfis Iactuated,;said ao tuating connections including toothed gear- In a ,type. action .for typewr1t n pr like machines, the combination of 'a lioat ing .type bar operating to swing by "a pivotal movement vto the printing. point,=and two differentially operated memberson o :po-

site sidesgofthe heel ofthe'type'bar an '---by' which the type baris supported, "actuated and guided in its printing movement and along and on which theheel'of-thetype'bar has a rolling motion in its printing move'- nfent, andkeys for, controlling the move;.- ments of said'members.

8. In a type action! for ;typ ewritin g or 7 like machines,'the combination of a floating type bar movable on a variable pivotal" centerto printing position vto print] from difierent types on the bar, and actuating meansfor controlling the printing move.- ment of the'bar and also the pivotal center thereof pcomprisingtwogprinting keys,- and toothed ggaring betweejisaid keys and type bar for selectively moving the, type bar to print-12m one or another type .thereon 'de pendingen which of said keys is actuated.

two printing 9. In a type action for typewritingorv like machines the combination-of a-type bar,

keys, actuating connections. between said printing keys and the type bar effective to selectively; print from one type or another on said type bar in accordance with which one of said keys'is actuated, said actuating connections including two toothed members, and key controlled case controlling means for determining whether each of said -toothed members when actuated by .its.re'-

spective printing key shall turn on one or another center and thereloy enable said printing-keys to selectively print from two i additional types on the type bar.

10. In a typeaction for type'writing or like machines, the combination of afioating type'bar operating to swingby a pivotalmovement to the printing point, and two difierentially operated members on opposite sides of the heel of the type bar and by which the type bar. is supported ,.actuated and guided in its. printingimo vement and along andon' which the heel of the\type bar has a rolling motion in its. printing Inoye'ment; a geared connection-between each of sa1d members and the heel of the type bar; and" indepndently operated keysifor controlling -Said'membe1 s a 11;; In a typewritinglor like machine;the

combination of atplatenya type bar, carrying a plurality of types, a plurality of printing pfroin o'ne or=.

keys for-- selectively printing;

another of the types on saider, a case con trolling -key, and means controlled thereby which are ineifectiv'e to shiftth type bar and platen relatively one to-' the other or'to actuate the type-bar, but are efi'ective never:

{key actuated.

12. In a typewri-ting or-like machine, they thless to ca-use'said typebarto selectively" print from one or a pther additional types" OII said type'bar depending on the printing combinationof a floating typebar movable -v dnajvariable pivotal center to printing posi- 'tioiifto print from 'diiferent types on the ing-tyve printing keys,- two toothed actuating ,membe'fs controlled? by said keys for selec-' tively moving the type bar to print from one or another type thereon 'depending'on e ach oii said toothedmembers when actuated which" arsed jkey's is-ac'tuated,' and key controlled means for determining whether S l tu n on onexor another centerfan 'l thereby enable the said'printing'keys to se- 13. In a' type action for typewriting or like machines','the combination of two fixed guide plates which are spaced apart,fa fl'oatmg type bar loosey disposed between said guideplates and guided. thereby -against lateral movement, saidtype bar swinging with a"p ivota1 movement to the, printing position around different centers depending 'on selection and means fior'actuating said type bar to turn. around "different center;

according to selection comprising two printmg keys,- and 1ntermed1ate connectionsbetween said keys and the type-bar for moving -it selectively to print from one-or another type'thereon depending on which of said printing keys' is actuated andalso for con-- trolling the center around which the floating type bar turns. A a In a bar -and actuating meanstherefor com'pris- 'lectiveIy print-.from two-additional types? type action ffor typewrit ih f 0 tion on the type bar, and two key Controlled toothed members cooperative with aid toothed portion on opposite sides thereof. '15. Ina type action for typewriting or like machines, the combination of two fixed guide plates which are spaced apart, a floating type bar looselydisposed between said guide plates and guided thereby against lateral movement, said type bar swinging with a pivotal movement to the printing position around different centers depending on selection,-and means for actuating said typelo'arto turn around different centers according to selection comprising two printing keys,- two driving members each connected to a different printing key and cooperating directly with said type bar to, move the lat-, ter selectively to the printing point around one center or another depending on the printing key which is actuated.

16. In a typewriting or like machine, the combination of two fixed guide plates which are spaced apart, a floating type bar loosely disposed between said guide plates and guided thereby against lateral movement,

said type bar swinging with a pivotal movement to the printing position around different centers depending on selection, and

means for actuating said type bar to turn around different centers according to selec tion comprising two printing keys, two pivoted driving members each connected (to a different printing key and cooperating directly with said type bar to move the lat";

' ter selectively to thep'rinting point around one center or. another depending on the printing key which is actuated, a case cone trolling key, and means controlled thereby for controlling the 'pivotal center around which each of said, drivingmembers turns and thereby enable the said printing keys to selectively printfrom two additional types on the type bar.

17. In a typewritingor like machine, the

combination of a platen, a type bar variably shiftable bodily with a swinging motion to' the printing position,'two'prnting keys for said type bar, and intermediate geared actuatlng connections between said printing keys and type bar for variably swinging the type bar to print from one oranother type thereon depending on which printing key is actuated, one of saidgeared actuating connections remaining quiescentduring the operation of one of said printing'keys, and

two of said geared-connectionsmoving during the operation of the other of said printing keys,

18. In a .typewriting or like' -machine, the

combination of a platen,

a type bar variably shit'table bodily with a swinging motion to the printing position, two printing keys for said type bar, intermediate geared actuating connections between said printing keys and type bat for variably swinging the-type bar to print from one or another type thereon" depending on which printing key is actuated, one of said geared actuating connections remaining quiescent during the operation of one of saidprinting keys and two of said geared connections moving during the operation of the other of said printing keys,

and a case controlling key for determining which of said-geared actuating connections shall remain quiescent in order to selective 1y print from two additionaltypes on the type bar depending on the printing-"key whichis actuated.

Signed at Chicago this 24id'ayfof Nov.,

, WESLEY WILSON. 

